Ranco to give keynote at ‘Raising Indigenous Voices in Academia and Society’ event

The University of Maine is one of five international sites of the 2022 Raising Indigenous Voices in Academia & Society (RIVAS) conference, acknowledging the contributions of Indigenous Peoples globally, Oct. 20–25.

RIVAS supports the scholarship of Indigenous academics and speakers whose cultures help shape linguistics, archeology, cultural anthropology and other academic disciplines, and also acknowledges the contributions of Indigenous Peoples globally to society.

Darren Ranco
Darren Ranco

Organized by host institution the University of Montana, the conference is in hybrid format, featuring speakers and presentations in person and online. UMaine’s Wells Conference Center is an in-person site of the conference on Oct. 24.

Among the invited keynote speakers is Darren Ranco, UMaine professor of anthropology and chair of Native American Studies, faculty fellow at the Mitchell Center, and a member of the Penobscot Nation. Ranco’s presentation, entitled “Decolonizing Land Relations in the Dawnland: Landback and Rematriation Across Wabanakik” will be featured in a livestream Oct. 22, and he also will chair a live panel Oct. 24 in Wells on Wabanaki voices. UMaine instructor and member of the Penobscot Nation Sherri Mitchell (Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset) will deliver a keynote live at UMaine on Oct. 24 entitled “Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit-Based Change.”

UMaine a site for ‘Raising Indigenous Voices in Academia and Society’ on Oct. 24